Our Canelands team are getting into the festive spirit!
Check out what they are reading these holidays:
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom:
I first read The Five People You Meet In Heaven when I was 15 and 8 years later it is still my favourite book. I make time in my never ending list of books every year to reread this book so to say it has stuck with me is probably an understatement. The book is masterfully written by Mitch Albom, who wrote Tuesdays With Morrie, and he leaves you questioning the life you live as well as the impact people have on your life and the impact you have on others’ lives.
The Five People You Meet In Heaven follows Eddie, a wounded war veteran who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. He now fixes rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakens in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination, but an answer.
In heaven, five people explain your life to you. Some you knew, others may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie’s five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his “meaningless” life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: “Why was I here?” – Lisa (Store Manager)
Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar:
Imagine there is someone you like so much that just thinking about them leaves you desperate and reckless. You crave them in a way that’s not rational, not right, and you’re becoming somebody you don’t recognise, and certainly don’t respect, but you don’t even care. And this person you like is unattainable. Except for one thing… He lives downstairs. Abbie has three obsessions. Art. The ocean. And Kane. But since Kane’s been back, he’s changed. There’s a darkness shadowing him that only Abbie can see. And it wants her in its world.
Kirsty Eagar is an extremely promising Australian author. Her style is both raw and brutal. Her characters, so real, tangible and lovingly created are stripped bare. Nothing is hidden or glossed over.
Night Beach is an intense, evocative novel that explores the shadowy recesses and dark corners of the mind that birth, feed and foster art and obsession. I will admit that it is an unsettling story. It’s tangled and confusing, maybe even heavy-handed. Definitely not for the faint of heart. – Lauren (Assistant Manager)
Adventures in Human Being by Gavin Francis:
Gavin Francis leads us round a cultural map of the body – an adventure in what it means to be human. Taking in health and illness, and offering insights on everything from the ribbed surface of the brain to the unique engineering of the foot.
Adventures in Human Being is a fascinating journey through the human body (head to foot, naturally). This book is a perfect blend of science and lyrical prose regarding the body, that is easy to read for both a medical and non-medical audience alike. Francis explores anatomical subjects to both de-mystify the body and it’s functions (and failings) while also encouraging a sense of fascination and wonder, in a highly-accessible manner. There has evidently been a lot of background reading for this book; fairy tale, philosophy and historical sources which combine beautifully with real-life examples to keep the reader both interested and entertained. Both respectful and curious, Francis has create a beautiful homage to the human body with his book Adventures in Human Being. – Emma
Hush hush by Becca Fitzpatrick:
Romance was not part of Nora Grey’s plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it keeps you guessing the whole way through and it is in no way predictable. So many Paranormal Young Adult novels are so similar and this truly breaks through the mould and sets a whole new precedent for the genre. – Shannon
The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard:
Enjoy a little rivalry? In a world divided by blood- red or silver- is an enthralling story of a seventeen year old Red girl, Mare Barrow and her journey through self-discovery. Up until working at the Silver Palace, Mare thought she was just another ordinary Red girl, until she discovers that she possesses a deadly power, one that threatens to destroy the balance of power. When the silvers fear Mare’s potential, they hide her in plain sight, declaring her as their long lost Silver princess who is to marry a Silver prince. But despite the Silver eyes surrounding her, Mare silently works to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group working to bring down the Silvers. But in this royal but unfair world, Mare must watch her every step, as one wrong move could mean the end. – Shenae
